


Warm Brown, Dark Grey

by love_loulou



Series: Eye of the Soul: A Voltron Soulmate Au [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Adam (Voltron) Lives, Angst, Backstory, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, M/M, Mostly Canon Compliant, Some Fluff, Soulmate AU, Space Dad Shiro (Voltron), no beta we die like men
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-15
Updated: 2020-09-15
Packaged: 2021-03-06 21:48:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,666
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26445871
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love_loulou/pseuds/love_loulou
Summary: In a world where your right eye has your own eye colour and your left has your soulmates, Takashi Shirogane's eyes have never been of great interest to anyone. They're close enough in colour that not many bother to look. His own eye colour is a dark grey, while his soulmate's is a warm brown.Adam West's eyes aren't anything special. His right eye, his own eye, is a normal warm brown. His soulmate's is a normal dark grey. They aren't a big deal, and so his parents ignore them.Or: Shiro and Adam are soulmates and even though they are destined to mean something to each other, they desperately try not to.
Relationships: Acxa/Veronica (Voltron), Adam/Shiro (Voltron), Allura & Shiro (Voltron), Allura/Lotor (Voltron), Allura/Romelle (Voltron), Coran & Shiro (Voltron), Hunk & Shiro (Voltron), Hunk/Shay (Voltron), Keith & Shiro (Voltron), Keith/Lance (Voltron), Lance & Shiro (Voltron), Pidge | Katie Holt & Ryner
Series: Eye of the Soul: A Voltron Soulmate Au [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1924105
Comments: 4
Kudos: 42





	Warm Brown, Dark Grey

**Author's Note:**

> hello! so this is my soulmate au, which will have several instalments. this one doesn’t focus a lot on Shiro’s time in space because it’s not super relevant to their story. it will be covered more in future parts. i hope u all enjoy this, i’m actually pretty proud of this.  
> enjoy :)

In a world where your right eye has your own eye color and your left has your soulmate's, Takashi Shirogane's eyes have never been of great interest to anyone. They’re close enough in color that not many bother to look. His own eye color is a dark grey, while his soulmate's is a warm brown.

Takashi's parents are soulmates, and it shows in the way they interact: handing each other things the other hasn’t asked for yet, constantly touching one another at any time they can, the way they can hold entire conversations just by locking eyes.

Takashi dreams of finding his soulmate someday so that he can have a relationship like his parents. But he knows one thing will be different: his soulmate is a boy, because Takashi doesn’t like girls the way his father does. He tells his parents this over dinner one night when he’s four, and they assure him that it’s alright, that there are a lot of people who’s soulmate shares their gender. This pleases Takashi and that night he dreams of the boy with the eyes that match his.

When Takashi is seven, his mother succumbs to a sickness that she’s been fighting for longer than he’s been alive. For days afterwords, his father locks himself in his room and refuses to interact with the world. Takashi's aunt comes to take care of him until his father is ready to face the world. A month after his mother's death Takashi's father announces that they will be moving to America to start over. Takashi protests, not wanting to leave behind his home and his friends. His father tells him gently that being here, where his parents fell in love, is too much for his father's grief and that if he wishes to leave her in peace, he must start anew. Takashi understands, a little, and only puts up a minimal fight when they leave eight months later.

For the next few months, Takashi is terribly homesick for japan. He misses his friends, and he must refine his English so that he can communicate with the Americans. His father struggles at first too, not understanding American culture and the American way, but soon he’s fallen into a pattern.  
Things fall into place for Takashi when he sees the first poster for the Galaxy Garrison after his ninth birthday. He’s always been good at piloting in video games and took special classes back home, so he begins studying and working hard.

And, when he turns thirteen, the Galaxy Garrison invites him to join their cadet program. Takashi is ecstatic, and his father is sobbing and swearing that’s he proud and telling anyone who listens.

Takashi is ready for this, and he thinks that maybe coming to America for a fresh start was a good thing. Who knows. Maybe he’ll even meet his soulmate.

Adam West's eyes aren't anything special. His right eye, his own eye, is a normal warm brown. His soulmate's is a normal dark grey. They are not a big deal, and so his parents ignore them. That’s his how his parents are. If something isn’t special, they don’t care. Adam figures out at a young age that most parents aren’t like this. He doesn’t mind. Someday he will escape them and he won’t have to worry about being special ever again.

He already has an escape plan: becoming a fighter pilot has always interested him, so he’ll work to get good and then wait for the invitation from the Galaxy Garrison to enroll in their cadet program. The one special thing about him is his determination: once he sets his mind to something he will get it no matter the cost.  
Now, strictly speaking, his parents aren’t abusive. They’re more neglectful, claiming they have better things to do. They’ve also never explicitly told him that his soulmate had better be a girl, but it has been heavily implied. Adam might find this troublesome if he wasn’t already planning on leaving. He knows he doesn’t like women the way his father and brother do. But that’s alright, because they’ll never have to know.

And, when Adam turns thirteen the Garrison's invitation arrives and Adam packs his things. Because being in the cadet program is such an accomplishment his parents give him extensive funds; Adam is aware that it is also hush money. The Garrison informs him that his roommate is one Takashi Shirogane.  
Adam says goodbye to his parents and brother and only expects to see them during the summer when he’s no longer allowed to stay on Garrison property. His brother doesn’t seem to care that he’s leaving, his mother only seems sad that they’re not the nice rounded four anymore, while his father just mutters good riddance under his breath and Adam pretends not to hear. That’s the day adam’s life changes forever.

Takashi thinks his room is nice. He’s going to miss his father, but he’s only a call away so they can always talk. He’s excited to meet his roommate, someone named Adam West. He’s excited to meet the person who he’ll live with during the school year. They’ll probably be roommates for years and maybe they’ll team up in their later years. Takashi isn’t watching the door when Adam walks in. he’s still unpacking, he only hears the door opens. The footsteps that enter are light and Takashi is a little giddy.

“Hi, i’m Shiro and—,” he turns and stops as he stares at Adam. The two both stand there for long moments, just taking in the eyes. Their own eyes, mirrored back to them. “Soulmate,” Takashi whispers.

“I thought your name was Takashi,” is all Adam says as he heads over to his side of the room. “Not Shiro.”

“Only family members and close friends call me Takashi,” he says. “And I don’t really know you. At least, not yet.”

“Look, just because we’re soulmates doesn’t mean everything has to be weird, okay? We’re probably platonic soulmates anyway.”  
“Are you being weird because I’m a guy?” Takashi asks before he can stop himself.  
“No,” Adam says. “I just don’t want a soulmate.”

The words ring in Takashi’s ears for days after that. _I just don’t want a soulmate._ Even though Adam doesn’t want things to be weird between them, his statement makes Takashi take a step back. Takashi has dreamed of meeting his soulmate for his entire life, and now that he’s met him he’s being rejected.  
Their classmates tease them endlessly, and Adam ignores them all. Takashi tries to do the same, tries not to show how hurt he is by everything that’s happening. Adam pretends not to notice the way Takashi’s acting towards him and they fall into a pattern of ignoring each other. Their instructors aren’t very pleased that they didn’t speak. They never fight, but not speaking to the person he’s destined to be with— or at least close to — is taking a toll on Takashi, but seemingly not on Adam.

Takashi makes it through their first few years, his health failing miserably. At first, he thinks it’s because Adam has rejected him, but then he’s diagnosed. He’s sick, and he won’t last much longer. Somehow, his entire class finds out and then they’re all pitying him and they all want to be his friend because he’s the sick kid who’s dying and not because he’s the best pilot to ever come out of the Garrison. Even Adam is treating him weirdly, mostly because he’s actually talking to Takashi. He’s treating him like a friend, and not like a soulmate he doesn’t want.  
It’s... nice. Adam is the only one in the entire Garrison who doesn’t treat Takashi with kid gloves. The only one who doesn’t treat Takashi like he’s going to drop over at any second. That happens once, and Adam is the only one who’s calm enough to do anything to actually help Takashi and not just fuss over him.

They fall into a pattern and Takashi can’t help but admire Adam. He’s confident, smart and has a way with words that make people love him or hate him. Takashi’s top of the class, best pilot in a generation. Adam is just behind him when he’s flying and his grades are just behind his. Takashi finds that the two have very similar interests outside of the Garrison, and that when they ignore the whole soulmate situation, they get along quite well. Hmm. Maybe that’s because of the soulmate situation. Takashi decides to not worry about the specifics and concentrate on being Adam’s friend. Who knows. Maybe they could be best friends. Or maybe, they could be more.

Adam cannot believe he’s allowed himself to grow attached to his soulmate. who is _dying_. what is he thinking?? Shiro’s great and all, and Adam really does like him, but growing attached when the man is going to die young? His parents would be horrified, though mostly that his soulmate is a boy. They would insist that the two are platonic soulmates, that they are destined to be nothing more than the best of friends. But if he’s being honest...

Adam thinks that Shiro is his romantic soulmate, and whenever the two bicker about something trivial or have lengthy discussions about their shared interests Adam finds himself staring at Shiro’s mouth or thinking of having this every day, of waking up to that same face every morning. And Adam sees it. He sees it way too clearly, and it scares him.

What he told Shiro when they first met wasn’t specifically true: he has wanted a soulmate, but he’s not sure he can handle a romantic one. The first time he saw Shiro he knew that that was his type, and that there was no way they were platonic soulmates. But he wasn’t ready to form that sort of attachment, to have that sort of commitment. If he’s being honest, he think that getting to know Shiro like this, where it’s because no one else will talk to him and they’re not being forced together because they're soulmates is better. Neither of them feel pressured to become friends or fall in love; and it’s nice.

Adam knows that he’s falling, but every time he tries to slow down the friendship Shiro gives him a wounded look or looks so miserable that Adam can’t help but backtrack. It is infuriating, because Adam knows that their time together is limited. He knows that Shiro won’t be around much longer. And it should be bad, because it means that they won’t get to grow old together. But it also makes every moment so special.

Though Adam will never admit that he was watching Shiro, there was a change in his soulmate when he learned he was going to die. He became more reckless, did whatever pleased him. He seemed to find this pleasure in living that he hadn’t found before, an urgency to his actions. And there is, because no one knows how long Shiro will last. How long he has until his muscles just.... give up.

And Adam admires Shiro for this: it’s a terrifying concept, knowing that your muscles are losing interest, that they won’t be strong enough — no matter how buff Shiro gets — to sustain him throughout an entire lifetime. But Shiro doesn’t let that get to him, he doesn’t allow the terror to overwhelm him. Sure, there are nights where it’s just too much, but most of the time Shiro is strong enough to just live life and hope for the best.

And goddamn it if that doesn’t make Adam fall even just a little more. Most of the kids in their class are extremely nice to Shiro, but there are the few who resent Shiro for the way his teachers treat him. It drives Adam insane, because this boy is _dying_ and these kids have decided that they’re going to verbally tear him to shreds.

And because poor Shiro doesn’t know how to defend himself Adam has taken it upon himself to defend this boy. Of course this causes them to rip into Adam, saying that he’s only doing it because Shiro’s sick or because they're soulmates. And sure, Adam only started tolerating the guy because he’s sick, but he’s become very fond of his soulmate and doesn’t like the way his shoulders hunch when the kids start whispering about him. And Adam hates it. He hates the way he can almost feel what Shiro’s feeling because of how terribly they’re treating him.  
It’s not until the day of their graduation that Adam realizes that he wants to be with Shiro. He wants their bond to be romantic. He wants to wake up next to Shiro everyday as he has for the past few years as a roommate. He’s not sure what to do with this information; it’s not like he’s been nice to Shiro until his soulmate was dying. He wants to blame his parents but he knows he has a part in this. Shiro is the best pilot of his generation. He’s broken nearly all of the records the Garrison has to offer and his best friend who isn’t Adam is the son of the famed Commander Holt, one of the smartest members of the Galaxy Garrison; genes his son inherited, considering he’s the top of his class, a year below Adam and Shiro’s.

Adam knows that Shiro is probably going to reject him, he knows that his words will haunt Shiro for a very long time. But... he’d like to try.

Three years later, Takashi starts telling Adam about a boy who stole his car and who he’s now offering a spot at the Garrison. At first, Adam thinks he’s insane, but then he realizes that the kid is the way he is because he doesn’t have any role models. And Adam understands that. He was an asshole until he arrived here and learnt that his parents weren’t an example of the rest of society and soulmates.

Adam himself has grown attached to one of the students, a boy who says that multiple agencies wanted him to model but his dream of being a fighter pilot trumped that. Adam understands why they wanted him to model, the boy is pretty and his eyes are breathtaking. Not to mention that they both have Cuban origins and bond over their shared culture and language. And then Takashi tells him that Keith’s eyes are the most amazing thing, and the two realize they know his soulmate. And though Takashi wants to tell him, Adam suggests that they let the two figure it out in their own time.

Adam is happy with Takashi, even if the threat of Takashi’s death does hang above their heads. Adam knows that he won’t get to grow old with his soulmate, but he’s trying to make peace with it. He knows that Takashi is struggling with this too and almost refused to get closer to Adam because he didn’t want to force Adam to live through that heartbreak. But they're figuring it out, together, and it's working so far. They're happy. 

His parents haven't spoken to him since they realized that Takashi is his romantic soulmate. Takashi speaks to his father regularly, and Adam likes the man a lot. He's sweet and a good cook and Adam is impressed by the man who managed to raise such a brave and talented son. Someday, he hopes that he can be that good a father. He's heard the way both father and son speak of Japan and all that they miss, and Adam hopes that maybe he and Takashi could go and Adam could learn all about Takashi's people and culture. 

Adam is happy with the Garrison. He's taken to teaching the pilots, and Takashi will occasionally come as a guest to help motivate the kids (he's a bit of a hotshot around the Garrison). It's been good. And Adam can't help but see what Takashi saw in Keith, who is like an angry kitten. Adam does his best to get to know the kid, and to help him. Keith seems to like him, though no where near as much as he likes Takashi. The two disappear all the time, but Adam doesn't mind. Adam remembers the bond he had with his brother before his parents corrupted him. Corrupted them both. 

Adam is happy. He's never been this happy in his life, and it feels... strange, to say the least. He knows what he wants to happen next: he wants to marry Takashi. He wants to have the rings and the certificate that proves that Takashi is his and he's Takashi's. He's not sure how Takashi will react; given that his body is weakening more and more, but Adam doesn't care. He will convince Takashi that this is a good idea. That Adam will always have a piece of Takashi with him. 

It takes a year, but Takashi finally agrees to marry him. To make the final leap. And Adam is even happier than before. He didn't know such happiness existed. It's like a key piece of his life -- not himself -- was missing and his environment is now so full of happiness that his heart hurts a lot. But it's worth it. And it always will be. 

Takashi knows that Adam doesn't want him to leave. But he's not sure he can give up this dream of his. Kerberos, the farthest humanity has ever gone. And the Garrison wants Takashi to be a part of that. And even though everyone -- except for Commander Holt and Matt -- don't want him to go, Takashi doesn't care. He has to go, he has to prove that just because he's sick doesn't mean that he's an invalid. 

And then, Adam breaks up with him. It crushes him, and he thinks that maybe he should rethink his decision. But then, he sees another announcement and he just remembers why he's so excited. It physically pains him to leave Adam on such terrible terms, but he knows it's too late. Maybe they were just kidding themselves and they were never meant to be together. It just felt so right. 

Takashi vows to himself that when he returns, he will fix things. Well, he'll try anyway. If the last thing he does is try to win Adam back, it will have been worth it. 

Adam is the only reason Shiro makes it through the arena and becomes Champion. He can't be Takashi anymore. No, Takashi must be protected. So he is Shiro, and then he is Champion. And that is all he ever knows for sure. 

Adam can't believe that the last thing he said to Takashi was something so terrible. _Maybe we were never soulmates anyway._ It's just a reminder of what he said in that first conversation. _I've never wanted a soulmate._ He knows it hurt Takashi; that was the whole point. And now he'll never get to tell his soulmate that he didn't mean it. And even if he can never be that close to Takashi again he wouldn't mind being his friend. And... taking care of him in those last days. But it didn't matter now. Takashi was gone. For good. Adam knows he'll forget the way Mr. Shirogane looked the day he broke the news. He'd volunteered to do it so that the man wouldn't have to find out via the news, as the Holts had. Thankfully, the man tended to stay away from the media but still. He would probably be excited that his son was going to Kerberos. 

When Keith gets kicked out of the Garrison, Adam tries to approach him, but the kid has disappeared, and dammit if that doesn't make Adam go crazy. First Takashi, and now Keith. He and Colleen talk a lot, grieving together. He's right there with her when Katie disappears and a kid who looks suspiciously like Matt appears at the Garrison. Adam confronts her, but Katie -- now Pidge -- begs him not to tell her mother because she's going to find Takashi, Matt and Sam. And so Adam endures Colleen's frantic searching and panic and more grief. 

And then Pidge, Lance and another student disappear just after a strange crash on Earth and a blue lion takes off into space. In the search they find that a cabin under the name Kogane is empty and Adam realizes that Keith is also missing. Adam is the one to push Iverson to realize that Pidge Gunderson is actually Katie Holt. This upsets Colleen even more, and Adam soothes her to the best of his ability, but he's also grieving Keith and Shiro. 

They push through together, and Adam knows that it's going to be a long and hard process. 

Adam is always on his mind. Shiro still regrets the way he left things, and now he wishes he'd never left. Adam is the last thing he thinks of when they fight Zarkon. Adam is what helps keep him sane throughout the long period of time he's stuck in the mind of the Black Lion. Adam is how he helps Lance through a sexuality crises. Adam is the first thing he thinks of when he sees Earth, his father a close second. His soulmate. He's... he's going to see his soulmate again. And then they see the Galra ships. 

When the Galra arrive on Earth, Adam is terribly sick. He's lucky, cause he's on the Garrison property, but he can't fly his fighter and that's what saves his life. When Sam returned to Earth he gave Adam a message from Takashi. But something is different about that Takashi, and it doesn't sit right with Adam. He watches proudly as Griffin, Laifsdotter, Kinkade and Rizavi fight off the Galra, with the tiniest bit of hostility towards Griffin, who was a constant source of torment for Keith. But they look good, and Adam is proud that he helped train them and that they're not crumbling under the pressure of fighting intergalactic terrorists as some might.

He watches as Sam address the personal and resists the urge to punch Sanda in the face. Veronica McClain seems to be facing the same problem; Adam isn’t the only one Sanda has been hiding information from. The two have grown closer as they’ve bonded over their shares grief and Veronica is a very clever girl with the same sense of humour as Adam. Her own eye is a few shades lighter than her brother’s, and her soulmate's eye is blue with a yellow sclera, which is incredibly strange on a human and Adam assumes that her soulmate must be an alien. 

Adam, Veronica and Sam join Colleen and Veronica realizes that her family is outside of the protection of the particle barrier. Sam promises her that the paladins will come and that they would be saved. Adam thinks that they will, even if they have disappeared. He has faith in Takashi and the other paladins, and he believes that they will saved. 

It might just take some time. 

Shiro stares at Earth, and he’s dreading returning. He knows that Adam is one of the best fighter pilots, and if Sam didn’t manage to merge Earth and Altean tech on time — or if he did but it wasn’t enough — that Adam would have been one of the first to die. He knows that his teammates, the other pilots, would also be up on that list. 

The Garrison that they know is safe, but they don’t know how many of their family members have survived. They don’t know how many of their friends survive. They only know that Sam and a few others live. 

As they squish into the Galra fighter, Shiro can feel the anxiety coming off of Hunk and Lance, who have close bonds with their families. He’s terrified; because his father wouldn’t be on Garrison property, and there’s the whole Adam situation. 

He’ll power through it. He’s always been good at that. He’ll be there for the other if they need to grieve and wait until there’s time and space for him to break down by himself. Space. Ha. And all he’s wanted for so long is to be back on Earth. And now he’s going back, and he doesn’t want to, because it means discovering who he has to grieve. 

And no news is good news, right? 

Adam watches as Griffin and Rizavi leave and tries not to look too excited. The McClains and Holts don’t bother to hide their excitement, while higher ranked officials look at least pleased that their only hope is coming. Adam wishes he could have gone with them. Keith is going to get an earful for not calling him when they get there. So is Lance, if Adam manages to tear him away from his family. There’s no family for Keith, but Adam would like to think that he’s something. And there’s no family for the fifth paladin, Hunk. 

They wait. They wait and they wait and they wait. And then...

The two rovers come tearing towards them, and Adam watches as Colleen perks up and the McClains all freeze. Adam just stares. Takashi’s in there. His soulmate. 

Katie is the first out of the cars and is in Colleen’s arms before anyone else can move. Lance and Hunk are on her heels, and Adam gapes; their eyes. He’s forgotten how incredible they are. As are Katie’s, even if he can’t currently see them. Adam watches as Veronica calls out to Lance and the McClains bury him in a hug. Hunk’s shoulders slump and Keith gapes at him as Shiro helps a young woman — is she an elf? — down from the rover. Adam would be worried, but Takashi is gay, so she’s not threat, whoever she is. 

“Adam,” Keith gasps, and Adam finally reacts. 

He pulls the younger man into a tight embrace and begins berating him about running away without warning him first, or inviting him to join. Keith only says that being in space wasn’t all it was cut out to be. Keith gives him a fast recap, and Adam remembers this: the three elves — Alteans — are Allura, Romelle and Coran. Shiro has silver hair because he died for a while and there was a clone and Allura brought him back. Keith found his mother, a Galra named Krolia, and Keith is now the member of the Blade of Marmora, who are a group who tried to take down the Empire down from the inside. 

And then Adam asks about Lance and Keith blushes a little and so they must have figured something out. And then Adam has to face Takashi. 

But there’s something different in his eyes, and he asks in a soft voice to be called Shiro, because Takashi died when the Galra captured him and Adam’s heart breaks a little. No matter how much he’s frustrated with Ta — Shiro — the man didn’t deserve what happened to him.

But they can deal with all of their problems later. Now is the time to free Earth. 

It takes a while to make everything right between them again. It takes years, but it is worth every second. Because Takashi is his soulmate, and Adam can’t fool himself any longer: he and Takashi are romantic soulmates and it works. They talk, and occasionally they have misunderstandings, but they work through it. 

Together. 

As they should. 

Adam and Takashi adopt two children: the first, a half Galra girl they name Ezume, the second a human boy they name Samuel. 

The two live happily and keep in close contact with the rest of the Atlas crew, the paladins and Alteans. Together, the two help keep peace throughout the universe. And when their time is up, their children carry on their legacy with the help of the others. 

And though Takashi Shirogane and Adam West started out as two boys who’s eyes were normal are now some of the most known names throughout the universe. 

**Author's Note:**

> so that was the first instalment of the Eye of the Soul series, i hope u all enjoyed it. other works that will come eventually:  
> klance  
> hunk/shay (idk their ship name)  
> pidge and ryner (platonically!!!)  
> allura/lotor...  
> and i might do a veronica/acxa, but idk. it depends on how people like this and how if i feel like i'm passionate enough about them.  
> i’m on tumblr if u would like to talk!! it’s https://www.tumblr.com/blog/view/love-loulou it wont actually link im sorry   
> thx for reading :)  
> xoxo, loulou


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